Woman who died in Texas jail called a ‘courageous voice’

While prosecutors ruled Bland’s death a suicide, her family and friends have maintained that they do not believe she would have taken her own life.

As Sandra Bland was laid to rest on Saturday, mourners delivered powerful remembrances of the 28-year-old activist who reportedly died by suicide in a Texas jail after an arrest for a minor traffic infraction earlier this month.

Alexandria Pyle shared a cell with two other women, across the hall from the cell Sandra Bland had to herself at the Waller County Jail.

Also on Friday, the Texas Attorney General’s office released Waller County’s custodial death report, which provides the most precise details about Bland’s arrest and jail processing. It shows how the arresting officer – who has since been suspended – became increasingly blunt with his orders as Bland questioned his right to ask her to extinguish her cigarette and get out of the auto. The Associated Press reports that both family and friends of the Illinois woman gathered and spoke highly of Bland, who they said was a courageous soul that fought for social justice.

At the funeral, her mother, Geneva Reed-Veal, said she had recently traveled with her daughter, who had decided her objective in life was to stop the injustice against blacks in the American South. The investigation will include forensic DNA and fingerprint testing of the plastic bag Bland appears to have used to hang herself, Mathis said. Theresa Dear, who is an associate minister at DuPage A.M.E. church, where Bland’s funeral was held, according to the New York Times. “She’s still speaking. I want to know what happened to my baby”, she said. But her family rejected this and ordered a separate post-mortem.

On their way to visit relatives in Tennessee, Ms. Reed-Veal said, Ms. Bland told her she had found a calling and planned to pursue it by returning to Texas, where she had attended college. “I didn’t know her personally, but again, I feel the pain of so many across this country about the situation because it was so needless”. Police said she was stopped because she failed to signal a lane change. The released dash-cam video showed that after Bland refused to step out of her vehicle, the encounter escalated into a physical confrontation, with the officer attempting to drag her out and threatening to “light her up” with his gun. The latest footage compared with the original seems to be missing cars and people passing by and is three minutes shorter – it is said that these inconsistencies are glitches that occurred when uploading.

The Rev Dear told mourners that Bland should be celebrated for standing up for herself.